Parent Guide > Ronald Reagan on the Challenger Disaster
Welcome to the parent guide for this text! Read below to find out about what your child is reading in class and how you can support him/her at home.
This week in class, we’re reading "Ronald Reagan on the Challenger Disaster" by Ronald Reagan.
On January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff, leading to the death of its seven crewmembers. The nation was stunned after this horrifying incident—about 17% of the nation watched it live on television. That same day, President Ronald Reagan delivered this speech to the grieving nation.
As we read, we will be discussing the themes of Comedy & Tragedy, Honor & Courage, and Technology, Progress & Industry as they relate to the text. We are trying to answer these big questions :
"What are the costs and benefits of technology?", "What can we learn from tragedy?", and "What does it mean to be brave?"
Ways to support your child:
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Ask your child about this speech at home:
- What was "Ronald Reagan on the Challenger Disaster" about?
- What did you learn about Comedy & Tragedy?
- What did you learn about Honor & Courage?
- What did you learn about Technology, Progress & Industry?
- Watch the following clips with your child at home: